Temporal preparation influences the dynamics of information processing: Evidence for early onset of information accumulation

When participants can temporally prepare for a visual target stimulus, responses to this stimulus are faster and more accurate. Recent accounts attribute these effects either to an earlier accumulation of stimulus information or to an increased rate of information sampling. The present study examines whether temporal preparation induces such changes in the dynamics of information processing by investigating speed-accuracy trade-off (SAT) functions. Shorter onsets and higher asymptotes of the estimated SAT functions were found for high temporal preparation conditions. These results provide evidence for an earlier onset of information accumulation in the visual system when temporal preparation is high.